Two-headed dragon
by Fra0408
Summary: She was not a wizard, she was a hetaira. But was it so true? When she meets a person she thought was long dead, her certainties will shatter.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimers:** I don't own Fairy Tail

* * *

Laxus was nervous, that morning. And, even worse, he also was starting to feel annoyed. Not only did he have to ride on that damn train to get to Crocus, but that lady a few seats ahead had been complaining for the past ten minutes, all too loudly for his sensitive dragon ears.

His eyebrow twitched for the millionth time and, fighting the urge to throw up everything he had had for breakfast, he got up from his seat to approach that loud lady and try to somehow stop her blabbing. The distance between them seemed almost unbridgeable to motion-sick Laxus, but he managed to take the five steps that separated him from the lady, mentally cursing her and wishing her the most painful death ever.

"It's totally unacceptable!" She screamed. Her high-pitched voice painfully reached Laxus' ears. The mage noted that the lady, a short woman in her fifties, was quarrelling with the train conductor over someone who, apparently, was in her compartment. "We can't seat next to her! Me and my husband are respectable people!" The girl, whom Laxus couldn't see, as he was behind her, calmly stated "This is my seat, I've paid for it and I'm not moving." The train conductor seemed sorry, but he couldn't do anything "Ma'am, this lady here is right. She has paid for her seat. I can't send her away... You'll have to stay here. Unfortunately, the train is all booked." He was right, all other seats were already occupied. Well, apart from Laxus' compartment. He hated sharing it with other people, as he did not want others to see what motion sickness could do to him; he always booked the whole compartment for himself. However, he thought that his motion sickness could only get worse, had he listened to that woman's bitching any longer.

"Ma'am, I'll switch my seats with you, but please cut it out." His ears detected a light giggle, which was immediately covered by the loud complaints of the woman in front of him, who was now indignantly looking at Laxus. "How dare you say to me 'cut it out'? Boy, weren't you taught how to talk politely to elders?" Laxus sighed, desperately trying to suppress his rage (and another retch). "I was. But you're the one being rude, here. I don't think that the people here want to listen to your annoying voice anymore. So, quit your babbling and go seat over there, and just let the other passengers travel quietly." The woman just gaped. Finally, her husband managed to shove her to the now free compartment. Before leaving, though, the woman spat on the girl, who was still quietly sitting. "You filthy bitch." She called her, but received no reaction whatsoever. So, she just headed towards her new seat, pushing Laxus with her shoulder. The train conductor looked at the young man and mouthed a silent 'Thank you' in his direction, then turned and left.

Laxus plopped on the seat, his strength drained by the motion sickness. He glanced at the girl in front of him, who was trying to clean with a tissue the spot on her skirt where the old woman's spit was. He then closed his eyes, trying to put himself together. "Thanks." The young man reluctantly opened his eyes when he heard that, and looked at the girl in front of him. Now, that was a beauty. Emerald-green eyes, full, red lips smiling and showing two lines of white teeth, and dark brown curls tied up in a loose ponytail, with some free locks framing her oval face. She was wearing a white boat-neckline blouse, tucked inside a high-waist yellow skirt. She wasn't showing much flesh, but Laxus guessed that her body was as stunning as her face, judging by the curves he could see. He shrugged, closing his eyes once again. "I just couldn't stand that bitch's blabbering." He heard her giggle.

The blonde mage tried to suppress yet another retch, praying that torture would end soon. He knew it would take quite a long time to get to Crocus, though. He just hoped that, when he arrived, he would feel good enough to participate in the Daimato Enbou with his fellows. The seven-years gap after what had happened in Tenrou Island had made Fairy Tail sink to the last place of the most powerful guilds. Now it was actually the weakest guild, and it was Laxus' job to make it the strongest. He owed that to the guildmates who had stayed behind, never giving up their hopes and maintaining the guild through all its hardships.

At that moment, though, Laxus' problem was of a different entity. He had to make it to Crocus without spilling whatever was in his stomach on the floor. He opened his eyes once again, when he felt a slight pat on his thigh, and stared into the girl's eyes. "What?" He asked, visibly annoyed. The girl smiled lightly, but seemed a little worried. "Are you ok?" She asked. "You look kind of… greenish." Laxus remembered why he always booked a whole compartment for himself. "Just a little motion sick." He managed to answer. The girl looked at him preoccupied, then grabbed her purse and started rummaging through it. The mage looked at her while she did that. She was beautiful, indeed, and if he hadn't been in that sorry state, he would have quite surely tried to hit on her. He noticed she had a tattoo on her left hand, a sun missing one ray; he wondered if she was a wizard, too, but he had never seen that symbol. Well, during the past seven years many guilds had been created, so she could easily have belonged to one of them.

The girl finally found what she was looking for. She held a plastic bag and extracted what seemed like a candy, offering it to Laxus. "Eat this. You'll feel better." The young man looked at the candy he was offered. 'Never take candy from a stranger', his mind told him. Well, but strangers have the best candies, they say. "Come on, take it! It's helping me, too. I also suffer from motion sickness, and I had an herbalist prepare these for me." Laxus looked at the candy, then at the girl, and then another retch hit him. He decided to accept the sweet. He unwrapped it and put it in his mouth. As soon as it came in contact with his tongue, the strong taste of herbs filled his mouth and seemed to relax him. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Thank you", he told the girl. After a few moments, he felt so relaxed that he began to doze off (something he rarely managed to). Had she doped him? How could that medicine have such a quick effect? "What did you give me, woman? I'm feeling drowsy." She giggled. "Don't worry, it's the immediate effect. It contains valerian, linden flowers and chamomile, which help you relax… I have no bad intentions. I promise you will wake up with all your money and your organs." She joked. Laxus grunted lightly, then crossed his arms and rested his head against the seat, closing his eyes and finally giving in to sleep. She smiled, watching him falling asleep, then opened the red carrier on the seat next to her, setting her cat free. It wouldn't have roamed around the train, she knew. Quietly, the animal looked around itself for a while, then curled up on the girl's lap. She leaned on the window, while petting her cat's head gently and drifted off to sleep, too, the purring from her animal filling her ears.

When she woke up, she found a strange-looking Laxus staring at her direction. "How are you feeling? A little better?" She asked, looking out the window to see where the train was now, trying to understand how long she had slept. He didn't bother to answer, and instead asked "What's that?" pointing at the animal on her lap. The girl started petting it once again, receiving a loud purr in response. "This is my cat, Silk. They say it's a rare breed." 'A rare breed my ass', Laxus thought. That cat was an exceed. He couldn't be mistaken: that huge head was a total giveaway. That particular exceed though was very cute, it looked like a miniature tiger, with its black-striped orange fur and big yellow eyes. "She was a gift. A very appreciated one. Do you mind if I let her stay out of the carrier?" The girl asked. She probably had no idea that was not a typical cat. Laxus shook his head in response, earning a bright smile from the girl.

"So, how come you were insulted by that lovely lady?" He asked, sarcastically. Now that he was feeling better, he was growing more and more interested in the beauty in front of him. She gave him a 'I thought you'd know that' look and showed him her hand tattoo.

"I'm a hetaira."

Laxus' mouth didn't close. Now it was clear. A hetaira, meaning a high-class prostitute. That symbol on her hand must have indicated her brothel. "Does that bother you? I'm afraid there aren't any other seats available…" Laxus just shrugged, shaking his head. After all, prostitution was legal in Fiore, and he knew for sure that Macao and other Fairy Tail members had, more often than not, been a client of Magnolia's red-light district. But he was not one to judge people by their job. He used to judge them by their strength, but that was some time ago. He wasn't sure it was still like that. "I just thought you were a wizard, too. I must have misread your tattoo." She laughed softly. "Nope. No magical power, no wizard. Just your ordinary concubine. Not respectable at all, according to our common friend", she joked, "but I bet that her husband has visited us quite a few times. His face is somewhat familiar." Laxus sniggered. She talked about her profession in a carefree way, and Laxus liked that, it meant she was not ashamed of what she did.

"And who would you be, my saviour?" The girl asked, petting her exceed, which was still sleeping on her lap. "Just your ordinary wizard", he replied, mimicking her previous answer. "Oh, then I guess you're going to Crocus for the tournament?" she asked. Laxus simply nodded. The tournament would start the next day. He was so ready. "Are you going to Crocus, too?" The blonde man asked. "Yes, we were called there by… well, you know… business." She replied. "We?" Laxus asked, raising an eyebrow. She smiled. "Yes, I was kind of left behind. My friends preferred to go by plane. But I hate those, so I took the train all by myself, and here I am talking to some handsome prince who saved me from an old dragon." Laxus chuckled. He was indeed a dragon slayer, then. "Well, I guess that was your lucky day", he joked. She giggled. "For you, too. Look at how better you are feeling, thanks to me." Yes, he had to admit that.

He was a handsome man, indeed. She did not really like that fur coat, but she had to admit that it suited him. She wondered how had he gotten that scar on his face and managed not to lose his eye, but she felt it was too personal a question. She leaned against the window, still looking at the man in front of her. "Do you mind if I sleep for a while? The journey will take a little more, and I'm pretty tired. I've actually had three candies. Very bad motion sickness, you know." The blonde wizard shrugged, then took the headphones that surrounded his neck and placed them on his ears. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

After an hour, the train conductor announced that they were approaching Crocus. They would arrive in about thirty minutes. Laxus stretched his legs and arms, and glanced at the lady in front of him. For the past hour, she had desperately fought in her sleep to keep her mouth closed, but her jaw always ended up falling. She would wake with a start, look around her as if to check that anybody had seen her, smile lightly at him and go back to sleep. He had quite enjoyed this past hour, spent listening to music and watching that funny girl. "I think you'd better wake up", he told her when she her jaw fell for the nth time, "We are almost there." She blinked a few times, nodded and smiled at him, then looked out of the window. It was possible to make out the skyline of the city from there. She had been to Crocus every year for the past five years, now, in occasion of the Grand Magic Tournament. It was so crowded that all the hetairai in Fiore were called, to offer the best service they could. Indeed, many rich people would happily pay the equivalent of a worker's year salary just to enjoy the company of one of them. Not only sexual company, though. Hetairai were raised in the most educated and refined manners, to be able to entertain their guests in different ways: music, dance, dialectics and much more.

"I'm Laxus, by the way." She heard him say. She looked at him, studying his facial features. He was not looking at her; instead, he was interested in Silk, which, while she was asleep, had jumped on the wizard's lap and was now lying on its back, blissfully having its belly rubbed. "Zoe. Nice to meet you, Laxus. And I'm sorry for my cat's behaviour. She seems to like you, though." Laxus shrugged. He liked animals, even though he did not own any. He kept on petting the tiger exceed. It was so soft, and its purring made him feel relaxed. "So, Laxus. Is this your first time in the Tournament? I don't recall ever seeing your face." He nodded. "Yes, but I assure you I will win. I will make my guild number one." She chuckled. "You seem pretty strong, and motivated, which is definitely a plus. But there are many strong and motivated wizards out there, you know?" She teased. Laxus looked at her intently. "I don't care. I know that my guild will win." He was so resolute, she really liked that. "What about making a bet, then?" She asked. "Let's see… If you fail in the preliminary round, you will have to shave your head in repentance." Laxus grinned; he didn't know there would be a preliminary round, but who cared? He was there to win. "What if I pass?" He asked, wanting to know the rest of the bet. "If you pass, I will root for your guild. Isn't that enough?" She joked. Laxus raised an eyebrow, so she continued, her finger on her chin, as if thinking. "Mmm… If you make it to the tournament, but you don't win, then you will have to kneel before the winning guild and acknowledge its strength." The blonde wizard snorted. "As if I would lose… Then, what if I win? It's _your_ turn to do something, don't you agree?" He asked, smirking. "It wouldn't be a fair bet, after all. Until now, I'll have to shave my hair and kneel before the winner, so I expect a big reward if I win." Zoe smirked. She liked his impudence. "Ok. If you win, I'll give you a ride. For free." She said, raising her eyebrow and looking at him in the eye. "It this fair, according to you?"

For a second, Laxus was taken aback: he gulped and his eyes widened with surprise. He would have been a liar if he said that he had not thought about that possibility, but he wasn't expecting that she would actually propose to have sex with him. He immediately composed himself and snickered. "I think that's fair enough, indeed. Don't you want to know the name of my guild?" She shook her head. "Let it be a surprise."

They had finally entered Crocus, and the train was about to reach the station. Silk had gone back to Zoe, who had put the cat back in the carrier. The girl then stood up to grab her suitcase from the rack above her seat. It was a big suitcase, and Laxus offered to help her. "No, thanks. I'm used to it." She replied, but then the train came to a halt, making Zoe lose her balance. She was falling back and her suitcase was about to fall on her. Just as she thought how fool she had been, she felt a presence behind her. Laxus had grabbed the suitcase with his left hand and was holding Zoe with his right arm, preventing her from falling. The girl blushed. "Sorry, I'm so clumsy." She stuttered. "Nevermind." He noted that Zoe was rather tall, and with his arm around her waist, he could feel how proportioned her curved were. He looked at her face and noted the perfectly applied eyeliner on her eyes, enhancing their green colour. She was looking at him, too, and he felt himself blush slightly. She suddenly placed her hand on his cheek and leant closer, gently kissing him on the corner of his mouth.

Laxus' heart skipped a beat. He would have never expected that. Zoe pulled away shortly after, and smiled at him. "Consider that as a thank-you gift, and a motivation to win the Tournament, Laxus. Good luck, see you." She waved at him and headed to the exit of the train. Laxus smiled. "You can count on it. As Natsu would say, 'I'm all fired up'." He then grabbed his bags and got off the train, too.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for reading this story.**

 **Disclaimers: I don't own fairy Tail.**

* * *

Laxus entered the room he would share with the rest of his team during the Tournament. The first rule of the Daimato Enbou stated that all participants had to be in their rooms by midnight. It was only ten p.m., but the rest of his team had already gathered. Juvia was sitting by the door, mumbling to herself something about her Gray-sama and about how they were going to be separated and against each other, like modern star-crossed lovers. Gajeel was sprawled on his bed, apparently sleeping, but actually listening to the conversation that was happening between Mira, sat on a chair by the table, and Makarov. "Hi Laxus, welcome back." Jellal greeted him, still clad in Mistgun's clothes. The blonde mage nodded in his direction. A strong team indeed. "Would it be better to prepare some kind of tactics?" Jellal asked Makarov. Before the Master could reply, however, Gajeel started laughing. "Tactics? It's simple, isn't it? We go out there and defeat everyone else. A piece of cake." Laxus chuckled. Makarov nodded, then started speaking. "My children, I'm very pleased to announce you will be competing in the tournament as Fairy Tail B team." Silence fell in the room. "We already know that, Master…" Mira gently said, "And you know we don't like the idea of being a B team, either" Gajeel concluded. That letter, B, made the team seem inferior to the other. "I'm sorry, my children. But you know, you're all much more mature than those reckless kids in team A, so I know you'll understand the situation. Let's say you're the Elite Team B." Makarov grinned. He certainly knew how to treat his children. He looked at the satisfied expressions of the wizards. Piece of cake. Makarov then left the room; he had already spoken with Natsu's group earlier that day, so he knew they were all ok. Now, everything rested on his children's shoulders.

Finally, the big day had arrived. Gajeel was so excited. The first round had gone surprisingly smooth, and he was now looking at those pitiful excuse for a dragon slayer who had only come in eighth place. Pathetic. He couldn't wait to get on stage and let everyone know they were second. Six places ahead of pathetic team A. thrilled, he listened to the announcer of the fifth and fourth position.

Four to go, and that blonde mage still hadn't turned up. Zoe thought it was unlikely that she'd see him fight this year. After all, she knew a few guilds that still hadn't been called, but were definitely in the top. Sabertooth, to name one. She had actually been surprised when she heard that Fairy Tail had made it to the top teams this year. So was her client, a rich entrepreneur sitting next to her. "Oh, the new members I read about." A man beside the two commented. She chuckled, "Yes, but they came in last place. I wonder if they have really strengthened." She had to admit, though, that hearing the guild's name after all these years had made her heart skip a beat. "Aren't they from your hometown, my dear? I think you should at least root for them." Zoe smiled to the man, her white teeth exposed. Fourth place, Lamia Scale. Third place, Raven Tail. And no signs of that blonde mage.

"What's my old man doing there?" Laxus asked, almost to himself. His father's guild had entered the Tournament. It was so suspicious. The wizard quickly glanced at Gajeel. He knew that the dragon slayer had been Fairy Tail's informer on the dark guild's actions and whereabouts for quite some time, but Gajeel seemed as surprised as he was. "Forget about him," Mira's voice sounded sure and confident, "it's our turn now." As the announcer revealed the name of the guild who occupied the second position, the five mages stepped into the arena. Wow, that was a huge crowd. They could definitely hear cheers and applauses, but most people were booing at them. "Stupid fools" Gajeel whispered. "If there's a Fairy Tail team that shouldn't be here, that would be Salamander's." Natsu's team were looking at them, gaping.

Zoe was gaping. It seemed she had forgotten how to breath. Her chest, squeezed in the corset she wore as undergarment, rose and fell fast, and the colour seemed to have drained from her -already pale- complexion. "What's wrong, my dear? Aren't you feeling fine?" The man beside her placed a hand on her shoulder, looking worried. She was not worried. She was shocked. She needed to stand up, exit the arena and breathe again, but somehow her legs didn't work. She could hear the announcer presenting Sabertooth as winner of the preliminary match, then proceeding to explain the rules for the Tournament, but the sounds were muffled in her ears. Her hands were trembling and cold with sweat. How could he be there? He should have been dead… for seven years, now. Was that some creepy cosplayer? No, it was not. That was definitely him. "My dear, I'm worried. Should I call a doctor?" Zoe heard the words of the man next to her, his brows knitted together in worry. She shook her head slightly. "I'm sorry, my Lord. It's just that I… I wasn't expecting the crowd to be so loud, it just… panicked me, I guess." "Oh, I see. Don't be afraid, my dear. Do you want to get out of here?" Yes. She wanted to get the hell out of there and scream at the top of her lungs. She wanted that burden on her chest to disappear. Her mixed feelings confused her. He was alive. Rage, worry, desperation, relief, happiness. It was all so confusing. She pretended to smile at her client. "No, of course. You've spent a lot of money on the tickets. And these are vip seats, too." The man smiled sheepishly. "I've spent even more money on you, my dear. And I want you to feel fine." He was such a caring man. He had lost his wife years before, and had become one of Zoe's clients three years ago, when the Tournament began. She guessed he was feeling lonely and wanted some feminine company, even if it was only a platonic one, as he didn't seem to… get down to business in bed. She had tried to "stimulate" him many times, but this year he had only paid for her company at the Tournament, not at night. "I'm fine now, thank you." She replied, smiling. It was a lie, though. She was not fine at all. She decided to at least try and enjoy the Tournament. Right now, the screens were showing the participant from Raven Tail hitting the one from Fairy Tail A. Fairy Tail B had chosen a blue-haired woman, that looked somewhat familiar to Zoe, but she couldn't grasp why.

"How comes…" the first game had finished, and Zoe felt a little calmer. Her client looked back at her, relieved that the woman seemed to have awakened from her trance-like state. "How comes Fairy Tail ha so many new members? I thought it was almost on the verge of closing down." The man chuckled. "My dear, to think that you live in Fiore! Haven't you heard the news? Those are not new members. Apparently, they are the strongest members of the guild, who have showed up after a full seven-year disappearance. And they haven't aged a bit, so everyone thinks they were under some sort of spell during this time." The man was passionately fond of magic; even though he had no magical power at all, he would not miss a "Sorcerer's Magazine" for all the money in the world. Zoe stayed silent. So, that was it. He was not dead. He had always been alive. As the teams came to the arena again, she watched him. He hadn't changed at all. She had, on the other had. When he left, she was sixteen. Now, she had grown into a beautiful twenty-three-year-old woman, and was older that him. She looked at the rest of his group and… oh God, that was the blonde mage. She had nearly forgotten about him, but there he was. Laxus, as she recalled, was a member of that guild, too.

Her client had let her free for the night. He suggested she rest, to be in top form the next day. 'You're more beautiful when you smile' he had told her. Such a pathetic phrase, but coming from that sad man, it sounded almost authentic. However, Zoe did not intend to rest. How could she, given what had happened that day? She had gone to the building where Fairy Tail was accommodated, and was now waiting for him to show up. She was sitting on a nearby bench, from where she could see the entire street. She would rest only after she had spoken to him. She would scold him so hard for pretending to be dead, and not coming to see her even once, she would punch him in the face and leave such a black bruise around his eye that he would always remember not to mess with her. Yes, she would do so. Nevertheless, when she saw him approaching, she did not even have the strength to get up.

Mira, Gajeel and Juvia were heading towards the inn. Jellal had to report to the rest of Crime Sorciere, while Laxus had gone to speak with the Master. They were walking in an awkward silence, as they were all thinking about the day that had passed. So many things had happened, and they came to meet so many skilful wizards. For Fairy Tail, it had been quite the disappointing day. But they would surely make it back the next day. "Juvia will avenge her Gray-sama" The blue-haired woman stated. Gajeel chuckled. "You lost, too. You shouldn't avenge anyone, you know." Juvia snorted and elbowed her fellow, while Mira giggled lightly. It was already dark, even though it was not late. They were approaching the entrance of the inn. "Gajeel…" The man froze in his spot. The voice who had called him was so feeble; he had hardly heard it with his dragon earing. It was a little deeper than he remembered, but he would have recognised it among thousands. "Come on, Gajeel, you're in the way!" Juvia complained. The man did not move, he seemed petrified. Slowly, he turned around.

There she stood. Dark curls were covering her shoulders and falling over her back. She used to have it short. Her lips were painted red, and her figure had become more feminine. But those eyes, those green emerald eyes, were the same. Gajeel could not utter a single word. A second later, that woman flew to his arms, hugging him tightly. He felt that her legs were giving way, and they collapsed on the concrete. His heart broke when he heard her saying "I thought I would never see you again." He felt her nails on his back, and his shirt getting wet from her tears.

So much for scolding him. So much for being enraged at him. So much for not crying in front of him. Zoe was crying her heart out on the one person she had cared for the most. She felt his hands lightly caressing the back of her head, and she heard him whisper, "I'm sorry."

Mira was totally dumbfounded. Who was Gajeel hugging? She had never, _never_ seen him hug someone so possessively. She noticed the tattoo on the woman's left hand. She knew what that meant, but she could not believe her eyes. Juvia had a grief expression on her face, and gently shoved Mira inside the inn. "Let's leave them alone." She simply said. Mira, however, was not satisfied with that. Who the hell was that woman? "I know her. Well, I have only seen her a few times when she was a child. That's Gajeel-kun's sister."


	3. Chapter 3

"Come on, Juvia, tell me what you know!" Mira's gossipy side had emerged in all its power. Gajeel had a sister. And that sister was a prostitute. And he was _hugging_ her like a normal person would.

The blue-haired mage shrugged. "Juvia doesn't know much. That girl came to Phantom Lord with Gajeel-kun, but she had no magical power, so she was useless to Master Jose. Juvia saw her a few times, and after a while, she disappeared. Then, Gajeel-kun started behaving just like when you met him." Mira smiled sheepishly. "Don't you know what happened to her?" The water mage shrugged. "Juvia thinks Master Jose sold her to some brothel, but she's not sure." Well, that could have been a possibility. "But it's strange, don't you think, Juvia? If Gajeel was raised by a dragon, who raised her? She can't be a dragon slayer if she hasn't got any magical power." Juvia looked at her, but she didn't know what to say. She had never asked Gajeel about this whole story.

"You know, I think we'd better get up and go somewhere else. We should talk." Gajeel gently said to her sister, and helped her stand up. "You've grown." He told her. She was actually as tall as he was. She chuckled "I'm the older sibling now. You should call me 'Onee-sama', you know?" Gajeel chuckled. "And you've grown impudent, too." He followed Zoe as she entered a bar opposite the one where his guild would meet. Good, those hot heads wouldn't see them. He would already have to give some explanations to Mira and Juvia, he knew: he did not like meddlers, but those two had seen his sister. Juvia might remember who Zoe was, but after all, she had not spoken to him about her for all those years, so maybe she did not want to meddle… What worried him was that white-haired demon.

They sat down at a table at the end of the bar. Gajeel noted how the men were looking at Zoe, and growled at them. "What are you, a dog?" She asked him, raising an eyebrow. "Just let them look, after all they'll never be able to get to me." Her superiority act annoyed the iron mage, but he guessed that she was used to having men drool over her.

When the waiter came, Gajeel asked for a beer and Zoe ordered a glass of red wine. She looked at herself in the hand mirror she kept in her purse. "Thank God for waterproof make-up", she whispered, then clutched the mirror and looked at Gajeel. "You know, originally I wanted to scold you, but when I saw you I just could not… I'm actually happy you're alive. How are you?" She asked, squeezing his hand and frowning slightly, when she noted all the scars on his arm. The mage shrugged, squeezing her hand in return. "I'm fine, I guess… I've been deadish for seven years, you know…" He looked at her, and saw her eyes. _She_ knew. She was the one who had kept on living without him for those seven years. And he had not even visited her when he had finally gotten back from Tenrou Island; he had just gone training straight ahead. "I'm sorry. I should have visited you earlier." He said, looking at her. Zoe smiled sadly, and then thanked the waiter who had brought them the drinks. When he was gone again, she spoke. "You don't have to apologize; I believe you didn't want to die at all, am I right?" He chuckled. "And I won't ask you what happened, but, say… Do you remember what happened the last time we spoke?" Gajeel blinked a few times. He did not remember at all. There were some things from before those seven years he still couldn't grasp. "We had a fight. A big fight, how can you not remember?" She sighed. "Well, we really used big foul words… and then you go and die, and for these past seven years I've had this huge regret, that the last words I told you were to go fuck yourself… I'm the one who should apologize." She concluded, almost in a whisper. Gajeel took a sip of his beer. Now he remembered.

 _He had visited her to announce that he would go to the S-class exam with Levy. He was somehow irritated that he hadn't been chosen as a possible candidate, but he would take that little shrimp to the top. When he entered the brothel, his irritation just grew. He hated the looks of the girls and women there. They behaved as if you were the most desirable man on earth, yet their eyes were empty and dull. And he hated those filthy men who exploited them even more._

 _Zoe was in her room, getting ready for a client she needed to meet. When she heard the news, she seemed disappointed. "How long will you be gone?" She asked him._

 _He shrugged. He did not even know where they were going, how could he know when he would come back?_

 _She lowered her gaze. "I thought we could have a little family party on Monday. It's my birthday, you know? I'm turning 16…" She smiled sheepishly._

" _Wait a minute," Gajeel interrupted, "we have never celebrated our birthdays. We don't even know when yours is."_

" _It's the day you found me. I've always considered that as my birthday... I though you knew."_

 _Gajeel crossed his arms on his chest. "Well, if I'm back, we'll celebrate, ok? But first I need to do this thing."_

 _Zoe pouted. "You've been neglecting me lately… Since you joined that new guild…" Gajeel seemed happy of such change, Zoe had noted. She was relieved that her brother had found a place he belonged, yet she couldn't help but feel a little left aside._

 _Gajeel huffed. "Listen, you know that I belong to Fairy Tail now. They're my nakamas and I don't want to disappoint them. I'm sure that if I'm not here, some of your clients will be happy to celebrate your birthday with you."_

 _Those words were the spark that set off their argument: "It's_ you _I want to spend my birthday with!_ You _are my brother!" She yelled, while grabbing the first thing she could find – her make-up palette – and throwing it violently at him. Gajeel caught it with ease, and then grabbed her by the wrist. "Unfortunately your brother has other business to do." Zoe's lips were sealed in a tight line. She wriggled her arm free and hissed "Screw you. Shove your nakamas up your ass and go fuck yourself." Gajeel wanted, terribly, to slap her pretty face for what she had said, but instead chose to leave. He did not turn back even when he heard low sobs coming from the room._

Gajeel swallowed his beer. He had been a real jerk. He was her only relative and had literally abandoned her. He wondered if she had forgiven him, but it actually seemed that she had been tormenting herself for all those years.

He glanced at the tattoo on his sister's hand, "Are there more rays on your sun?" Zoe looked at her hand and nodded. "I've been 'promoted'. I'm a hetaira now," she shrugged. "I worked hard to get here, you know? Not that it changes anything, though. I'm still a whore. But I'm much better paid now, and I also have quite a few other privileges." She winked. Yes, being a hetaira came with many privileges: first of all, she could refuse a man she did not fancy. Secondly, she could choose when to work, provided at the end of the month she had earned enough money. Thirdly, she was so much better paid. Not that she could keep the money to herself, anyway. It went directly to the brothel, to pay for all its expenses for boarding, lodging and education she had been receiving.

The iron dragon slayer decided to change subject; he felt uncomfortable talking about her occupation. "You know, I've seen a dragon." Zoe froze, eyes open wide. "Was it…?" "No," Gajeel interrupted her. "Not even Metalicana. It was… frightening. And we couldn't do anything." Four dragon slayers on that island, even if already beaten up, and neither of them could do a thing. So much for slaying dragons; what a disappointment they were.

"So… does that mean that they are back?" Gajeel shrugged at his sister's question. He really didn't know. Zoe's gaze lowered, then she looked at him in the eye. "What are we doing, Gajeel? Weren't we supposed to celebrate our reunion? We should not talk about such sad matters!" She waved to the waiter, ordering more alcohol, clinking her glass with her brother's and finishing her glass of wine in one gulp. The man smiled and finished his beer, too, waiting for another one.

"Hey, Lily, do you know where Gajeel is?" The black cat, upon hearing his name, turned to face the solid-script mage. "Hi, Levy. I thought he was with you, actually. I haven't seen him since the end of the tournament today." The girl huffed. Where could he have gone? She noticed Lucy looking at her direction with an evil smirk on her face and then saying something to Natsu's ear. Lately, the stellar mage had been openly mocking her about her 'little' crush on the iron dragon slayer. Was it so evident? "Well, Levy, I can smell Gajeel right over there," Natsu told her, pointing at the building across the street, "though I don't know why he would be there and not here with us." Levy noted that the building was a bar. If Gajeel wanted to drink, he might as well have come there, where the rest of the guild was. She did not understand. Suddenly, a soft paw pressed against her leg. "Let's go and see, shall we?" Lily asked. She nodded, then exited the bar and headed to the other building. Nobody seemed to have followed them, as a brawl among the mages had just broken out.

They entered and looked around, when finally Lily smelled Gajeel's scent and detected him. He was sitting at a table far from them, with a woman he couldn't see clearly, as he only saw her back. Now, he had to think fast, before Levy spotted the mage.

As Lily and Levy had entered, Gajeel had recognized their scents. He sighed; he could never have a moment alone… "What's up?" Zoe asked him. He shrugged. "Nothing", and pretended not to see them. Maybe they would go away. He glanced at Pantherlily's direction, though, and saw that the cat was staring at him, with his trademark scowl. 'Crap.' He thought. He had never told anyone from Fairy Tail about Zoe, not even to Lily. He tried to mentally communicate to his cat to go away, but right at that moment Levy spotted him. 'Double crap'.

Zoe heard a feminine voice calling out his brother's name and turned around. She saw a petite woman coming towards them. Well, towards Gajeel. When that woman saw Zoe, in fact, she froze on the spot.

Levy couldn't help but stare at the woman with Gajeel. She was wonderful, stunning. She seemed as though she had just come out of a movie, and her retro look suited her perfectly. Immediately, her head started spinning. Who was she? What was her relationship with Gajeel? Why were they here? Was she close to him? Well, she seemed so…

So, that was the type of woman Gajeel liked. What was she thinking all this time? She could not even begin to be compared to that… goddess.

"Hi, miss. Are you ok?" Levy heard the goddess speak. Even her voice was perfect.

"Y-yes. I'm Levy MacGarden, n-nice to meet y-you…" she stuttered. Why had she introduced herself when she was asked how she was feeling? And, in addition, it was not as if that woman seemed interested in knowing her name… Now she was blinded by the light of the dark-haired-woman's smile.

"Hello, Levy, I'm Zoe Redfox. Do you know…"

But Levy never heard the end of the question.

 _Redfox_.

She was Gajeel's _wife_.

His _wife_. That was it. The end of her dream love life. Levy felt a huge weight on her chest and a light tingle in her eyes. But she wouldn't cry. No, Gajeel did not deserve her tears. He had had a wife all this time, and never mentioned it to her. And what was more, she even thought that they had somewhat gotten closer during the S-class exam.

"Hey Levy, are you alright?" Gajeel asked her, visibly worried. Levy stared intently at his eyes. How could he act so carefree? She really didn't mean anything to him.

"I'm sorry I disturbed your date. I'll leave you alone with your wife now, if you'll excuse me." The shock on the dragon slayer's face was evident. Then, she heard a ringing laughter coming from her left. She looked at stupid-Gajeel's wife, and saw her bended over in laughter, trying nonetheless to regain her composure.

"I'm sorry, Levy, was it? Why would I be this idiot's wife? That's just too funny!" Gajeel glared at her, then his gaze focused on Levy. "She's my sister, not my wife. How could you come up with such nonsense?"

The solid script mage's mouth formed a silent 'oh'. His sister. That made sense.

Then she realized the fool she had made of herself, and her instinct was to run as far as she could and hide, but her legs felt so limp. Her face was red with embarrassment. She felt a warm presence surrounding her: Zoe was embracing her small figure, still laughing. "You know, it's been years since I last laughed like that!" Then, she looked her in the eye. She was tall, but Levy didn't feel intimidated now; her perfume had relaxed her. "You have quite a big imagination, you know? I like you!"

Then, she turned to her brother and said "Is she you girlfriend? Haven't you ever told her about your sister? You should treasure her more!" Gajeel sighed, sensing a wave of embarrassment invading him. He noticed that Levy was redder than before. "It's not like that." Zoe looked at him with her eyebrow raised, so he decided to change subject. "That's my cat, Lily."

Said cat started to object that his name was Pantherlily, when he felt himself being lifted up in the air and then pushed against something very soft – Zoe's chest. "It's sooo cute! And these rounded ears… I have a similar cat, too. He really suits you, Gajeel!"

"Miss, you're suffocating me." As Zoe heard those words coming from the cat, she was bewildered. "And he speaks, too! My cat never does that! Is it magic, or something?" Gajeel shrugged. "That's just how he is."

Lily was a little afraid of the woman looking at him. Her eyes were literally sparkling. She kept cuddling and petting him, and then he could not help but purr. It felt incredibly good.

In the meantime, Levy had recomposed herself, and was now looking at Zoe. Apart from her height and black hair, she didn't look like Gajeel. She giggled when she heard him yell, "Stop harassing my cat!" at her. She noticed the tattoo on her left hand, but she did not recognize it. She would look it up in the list of the guilds later.

"Gajeel, if you want to come, the others are throwing a party over there," she said, pointing at the bar just across the street. "Naturally, you're welcome to come too, Zoe-san." The woman looked at her, surprised.

"You don't need to use suffixes, feel free to call me Zoe. Thank you for your offer, but I guess I will be leaving now. And you need to go back to your guild." She smiled, looking at Gajeel. She felt they had reconnected the bond she thought they had broken seven years before. "I'll see you in the next days, I hope." He nodded, and asked "Do you need me to accompany you home?" She shook her head.

The trio and Lily exited the bar and separated. Gajeel entered the inn and managed to go unnoticed by joining yet another brawl that had started, but he could feel Juvia's and Mirajane's stares on his back. And they also shared a room. He was so screwed.

"Dammit! I haven't mocked him about the tournament!"

Zoe was heading back to the red-light district, when she realized she hadn't even referred to the lame performance of his brother's guild that day.

She raised her head and noticed a tall figure of a man walking in her direction. It was dark, but she recognized him, and he seemed to recognize her, too. She stopped. "Laxus, was it?" He nodded. "Zoe, if I remember correctly." She smiled. "Are you going back to your guild?" She asked him. She knew that she had been a little… _reckless_ , with her bet. She had just acted on a whim, but the man could have been anyone, a criminal or a rapist, for all she knew. Now that she knew he was in the same guild as his brother, he couldn't be a bad person. Well, not that her brother was a good person, either. However, maybe their encounter had been fate. "I was, but if you want, I can head somewhere else. With you." Now, that was bold; but she liked it. "Walk with me, then. I'm going back." She slipped her arm under Laxus, and started walking.

"So, I see you've made it to the tournament, even though you're seventh place now…" Zoe teased Laxus. She might have forgotten to mock Gajeel, but she wouldn't miss her chance now. He huffed. "We've been unlucky. Mystgun could have won against Jura, if only…" He stopped mid-sentence. Actually, he didn't know what had happened. Jellal had just passed out, without any true reason, and afterwards he could not explain what had happened.

"Well, Lamia Scale is powerful, and so is Sabertooth… I've watched the past games and they have always done well. But I'm surprised that Fairy Tail had two teams making it into the competition. Congratulations." Zoe patted the mage's hand. "And there is also Raven Tail, I've never heard of it, but they seem strong, don't they?" Laxus grunted. "Yes, strong and unfair."

"Any personal issue behind this accusation, Mr. Laxus?" She joked. She was not expert at magic, but she had definitely understood that Raven Tail had some kind of grudge against Fairy Tail.

He eyed her, then looked in front of him. She was oblivious of the situation between the two guilds. "My father's the master of Raven Tail. He was expelled from Fairy Tail." Laxus' voice was cold.

"Uh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be nosey. I just felt like joking. I'm particularly happy today." The man looked questioningly at her.

"I've found my brother, who I though was long dead." She beamed.

"I'm happy for you, then. And I guess your brother's happy, too." His ears heard a light giggle coming from his side. "Well, you can ask him yourself, after all he's in your team."

Laxus stopped in his track. "What?" He asked.

She laughed. "My brother is Gajeel, you guild mate." Her laughter grew even louder, seeing the man's face. His jaw had dropped and was staring at her dumbfounded. "Are you kidding?" She shook her head and pushed Laxus a bit, so that they continued walking. "We grew up together, then he disappeared. I really thought he was dead."

"Wait." Something was not clear. "Gajeel is a dragon slayer, so how could you have grown up with him? Were you raised by his dragon, too? I thought you didn't have magical powers." She shrugged.

"No, I didn't grow up with Metalicana, but I knew him. Yes, I was raised by a dragon, and yes, I used to have magical powers but I don't anymore."

The look on Laxus' face was getting funnier and funnier. "You know, I think your jaw will touch the ground, if you let it drop more." She teased.

"So, you're a dragon slayer?"

"Haven't you listened to what I said?" Zoe pretended to be annoyed. She knew that was too much shocking info, for someone close to Gajeel. Knowing his brother, he must have kept a secret about her with anyone. "I lost my powers fourteen years ago, after my mum disappeared. I'm not a dragon slayer now, only a prostitute." She ended, smiling.

"I'm sorry…" she heard Laxus say.

"For what? It's not your fault if I'm a not dragon slayer, nor if I'm a prostitute. Nor if I'm that metal-head's sister. We don't choose our relatives, don't we?" Laxus smiled at her, thinking about his father. "You're right."

They continued walking silently for a while, and at last they arrived at a large golden gate, which separated the red-light district from the rest of the city.

Zoe turned around and smiled at Laxus. "Thank you for accompanying me. I can go on alone, now."

The man frowned. "I can walk you more, you know. We're only at the entrance of the district."

She still hadn't let go of his arm, but she lowered her gaze. "You're a mage taking part in the tournament; I wouldn't want your reputation to be stained."

Despite high-class, she was still a prostitute. It would be a huge scoop on gossip magazines, if a wizard that should be concentrating for the tournament were caught with a courtisan.

"Reputation? That's a load of crap." He had always hated his reputation of 'grandson and son of someone'. He could not care less about that. "And I don't want you to be bothered by the obnoxious people living here," he said.

"Well, living here, I am one of those obnoxious people, you know?" She pouted. Her lips were so red and plump, he noticed.

"You're different." He simply stated, and looked away.

What was going on with him? Different from what? She was not one of his fangirls, that was clear. He didn't even know why he had fangirls, but there seemed to be this flock of screaming teenagers wherever he went. She seemed at ease with him, and he was at ease with her, even if his hormones seemed to have gone berserk since she had touched him. They had met only the day before, yet she had talked to him so openly. She was a prostitute, of course, and she had offered him free sex if he won the tournament, yet she didn't seem embarrassed by it. He wondered if she had done that bet with other mages, as well. Furthermore, she was Gajeel's sister. That complicated things. A lot.

Laxus felt himself shoved into the district and his flow of thoughts was interrupted. Zoe's arm was still under his.

"I'm no different than the people here. But thank you anyway." She whispered.

The district was actually similar to the rest of the city, but the bright red neon lights of the various strip clubs and brothels were a huge giveaway for their actual location. Laxus noticed that there were also theatres and pubs that seemed "normal", and lots of casinos, too.

Laxus kept scowling at the men they met on the street. It was almost as if he wasn't there; those men stared at Zoe with lustful eyes. What happened when she walked around alone? "Don't be so tense. They won't do anything." She was looking at him, smiling. "Don't you feel treated like some kind of object?" Laxus asked. She shrugged. "Well, that's part of the job."

The mage's lips tightened, forming a straight line.

They had arrived in front of a bar called "Red siren." Over the door there was a sign of a mermaid with a beer mug in her hand. Zoe patted Laxus' arm. "Aren't you hungry? You can eat the best burgers in town here. And I haven't had dinner yet." She didn't wait for his answer, as she was already heading to the entrance.

They sat at a table and Zoe ordered for both.

Laxus looked around the pub. It seemed quite normal, though old-fashioned. There was a faint smell of smoke filling the air, and heavy, red velvet curtains covering the wide windows. Many men and women were eating and drinking, and a piano player was playing a soft tune in the corner of the room. Then, Laxus glanced at Zoe. She was looking at the piano, seemingly enjoying the music. She was perfectly fit in that atmosphere. Her glossy, loose black curls, pinned at her right side with a feather pin, the perfectly drawn black line on her eyelid and her long eyelashes, a little mole under her left eye, her scarlet red lips, they all gave Zoe a vintage look. He wondered if that was a well-studied character, on her part.

Just then, her green eyes met his. He gulped, and felt his throat dry. The waiter came right at that moment with their drinks. A beer for Laxus, and a glass of red wine for Zoe. They toasted silently and Laxus took long draughts of the refreshing liquid.

"So, tell me a bit more about yourself, won't you?" He asked. Zoe's eyes went wide open.

"Excuse me?! I've been telling you a whole lot about myself! You are the one who should be talking about himself! I don't know anything about you!" She laughed.

He chuckled. "Ok, ask me some questions, then."

Zoe smiled again, and nodded. "Let me think," she said. "What kind of mage are you?"

"I'm a dragon slayer, too."

"Really? Which type? What about your dragon?" Zoe asked, genuinely curious.

"Well, I'm not a traditional slayer, but I'm what they call a "second generation". I wasn't raised by a dragon, I had a lachrima implanted in me, and that's it. A boring story, indeed." He had carefully missed out a few details he didn't feel like sharing.

"Oh. So no dragon for you, uh? And what element can you manage?"

"Thunder." Zoe's attention seemed to be raised. "Cool," she said, "do you want to know something fun?" Laxus nodded, taking a sip from his beer. "You know, my mum's mate was the thunder dragon. His name was Fulgur. I've seen him a few times."

The mage chuckled. "That must mean we are meant to be" he said, lowering his tone and looking straight at her. This actually caught Zoe off guard. "I… I didn't mean it that way, you know…" she stuttered, blushing. "I was joking, sorry for making you feel uncomfortable," Laxus said, "I didn't think you'd take me seriously."

The woman quickly regained her composure "You're a naughty boy, you know? Here I was, opening up to you, and you catch me off guard!" She joked.

At that moment, the waiter brought them two huge burgers. Laxus thought he wouldn't have problems eating his, but it seemed really too big for a girl. "Are you sure you'll be able to finish it?"

Zoe seemed stung to the quick. "Well, I could easily eat mine _and_ yours. I like eating, you know? And I'm very proud of my hobby; I'm not one of those fussy girls who always pay attention to what they eat."

Laxus snickered; she was funny, in a way. He guessed that healthy appetite could be a main feature of dragon slayers, just like transportation sickness.

"That was delicious. Thank you for bringing me here." Laxus said to Zoe, when they were out of the pub. "Well, I always eat here when I come to Crocus. They're the best burgers in town, even if in a not advisable neighborhood." She joked and started started walking to the brothel, then turned to Laxus. "Shall we go?"

The thunder dragon slayer took his time to look at Zoe. Even though it was dark now, the light coming from the streetlamps enlightened her figure. She was wearing a blue dress, with a knee-length full skirt and a belt that squeezed her waist and enhanced her curves. Her top was tight and low cut, and her breast peeped out from the neckline. He did not try to hide the fact that he was admiring her figure, and she seemed not bothered by that. "Are you enjoying the view?" She joked, smirking maliciously and placing her hand on her hips. "I am. I'd prefer a little less clothing, though." She laughed. "God, you're very straightforward, aren't you?" Then she leaned toward Laxus looking him in the eye. "For that, you'll need to win the tournament." He felt a lump in his throat, but nonetheless managed to smirk. "Just wait till the end of the game."

Zoe returned his smirk. "So arrogant." She leaned even more forward, her face only inches away from Laxus', eyes half-lidded. "I hope you're not all talk and no action," she whispered. "Shall we go, now?" Laxus smiled and followed the woman in front of him.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, then arrived at a huge and beautiful building. "Here we are. Thank you for walking me," Zoe said, turning towards Laxus and smiling, then she put her arms on the mage's shoulders. His smell was quite good; it was warm, and reminded Zoe of wood and resin. "I hope to see your team win. I'm starting to like you, you know?" She whispered. She then felt Laxus' arms on her hips, pulling her closer to him. "Just wait and see. You could give me some more 'motivation', though. It would help a lot." He watched her giggle, feeling her breath tingling his chin. He watched as she leaned forward and could not help but shiver as he felt her lips on his, and the tip of her tongue gently caressing his lower lip. Just as he was about to respond, though, she pulled apart and looked at him naughtily. "Is it ok, as a motivation?" He smiled, letting out a sigh. He feared it would only make it impossible for him to sleep. If anything, that kiss had left him frustrated with anticipation. She patted him on the chest, seemingly understanding what he felt, then said "I'm going. Goodnight, Laxus."

He watched her enter the building; "Goodnight, Zoe," then he headed towards his guild.


End file.
